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The Cold War:. Origins to 1960. Containment Policy. George Kennan, career Foreign Service Officer Formulated the policy of “containment”: US would not get rid of communism, but would not allow it to spread. US would “contain” communism where is already existed. The Iron Curtain.
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The Cold War: Origins to 1960
Containment Policy • George Kennan, career Foreign Service Officer • Formulated the policy of “containment”: • US would not get rid of communism, but would not allow it to spread. • US would “contain” communism where is already existed.
The Iron Curtain • Winston Churchill coined this term. • Famous speech on March 5, 1946 at Westminster College, in Fulton, Missouri. • CLICK for text and video of speech
Churchill’s Warning… • Churchill felt that behind the Iron Curtain, the USSR was planning to attack and conquer Western Europe.
Division of Germany • The Allies decided to divide Germany into 4 zones after the war. • Also, the capital of Berlin was divided into 4 sectors. • SEE next 2 slides
Problem with Berlin? • Berlin was in the Soviet Sector. • Stalin was not happy with a “small piece” of democracy in Eastern Europe. • What did he do?
Berlin Blockade • June 1948, Stalin attempts to starve West Berliners into submission. • All rail and street access was blocked.
Berlin Airlift • American and British planes flew food and supplies into Berlin for 327 days. • Stalin lifted the Blockade by May 1949.
Operation “Little Vittles” • During the Berlin Airlift a group of pilots decided to help boost the spirits of the German children. • They organized a mission to drop candy to the children using parachutes made of handkerchiefs.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization • NATO was established by a treaty in 1949 • This organization established a system of collective defense whereby its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. • Original members were: • United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. • Greece (1952), West Germany (1955) join also
The Warsaw Pact • Communist Response to NATO. • Signed on May 1, 1955 in Warsaw, Poland • Military treaty, which bound its signatories to come to the aid of the others, should any one of them be the victim of foreign aggression. • Original Members: • Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Poland, Rumania, the USSR, and the Czechoslovak Republic.
Mao Zedong wanted China to become a communist state after WW II. Chang Kai Shek fought to stop the communists but was unsuccessful. Struggle for China
Cold War in America (1945-1960) • Was there reason to be concerned? YES! • Soviet domination of Eastern Europe • China turned Communist – 1 billion people! • 80,000 Americans members of Communist party
House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) • 1947= House of Representatives • Investigate Communist influence in the movie industry
Spy Cases Shock the US • During the late 1940s and early 1950s, America was rocked by sensational stories of Americans spying for the Soviet Union.
McCarthyism • Senator Joe McCarthy became the most famous anti-Communist activist. • Used the issue to help win re-election in 1950.
McCarthy’s Tactics • Made one unsupported accusation after another. • He would bully witnesses. • McCarthyism = tactics used to advance your career.
McCarthy’s Downfall • In 1954 McCarthy made accusations against the US Army. • Led to televised Senate investigation; and American people did not like McCarthy’s tactics. His popularity dropped greatly.
Hydrogen Bomb • US exploded the 1st H-bomb on November 1, 1952 in South Pacific. • That bomb completely destroyed one island and left a crater 175 feet deep. • Russians exploded on in August of 1953.
Central Intelligence Agency - CIA • Used spies to gather information abroad • Began to carry out covert operations to weaken or overthrow governments unfriendly to the United States.
Space Race • On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. • The world's first artificial satellite was about the size of a beach ball. • Orbited the earth in 98 minutes. Race to control space was on!
Conclusion… • Moving into the 1960’s, the Cold War was really starting to heat up with no end in sight. • The Cold War will continue in the 1960s with the world moving closer to an open conflict between the US and USSR.